Fire-alarm.



S. J. HEINRICH. FIRE ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1906.

983,713., Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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S'. J. HEINRICH.

FIRE ALARM.

APPLIOATION FILED 11113.14, 1906.

983,713. Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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FIRE ALARM.

APPLICATION 31min MAIL-14, 190a.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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1 FIRE ALARM. APPLIUATIOK FILED MAR. 14, 1905.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR.14, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN J. HEINRICH, OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN ELECTRIC ALARM COMPANY, OF IITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FIRE-ALARM.

Application filed March 14, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. HEINRICH, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bellevue, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invenion relates to certain new and useful improvements in fire alarm apparatus, and relates more particularly to an automatic system in which the sounding of the alarm is accomplished by automatic means as through a thermostat or equivalent medium, or through semi-automatic means as by a break'glass station or equivalent medium.

The invention is in this particular to be distinguished from systems in which the alarm transmitter is to be actuated manually as in the case of street box fire alarms.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide an alarm transmitter in which the mechanism will be confined in a compact form and in which all the moving parts of the mechanism are on pivoted shafts, thus obviating objections to some forms of prior devices of the class to .Which'this apparatus appertains in which studded parts are employed which require a long tight bearin resulting in an increase of friction, and often fail in exactness of operation, through an excess of side or dead motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm transmitter mechanism in which the different movable parts of the mechanism after being released will run down and transmit a signal, without the aid of magnet pull thereon.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an alarm transmitter in which access may be had to the various parts for the purpose of adjustment, and further in which access to the various parts may be had for purpose of inspection without disturbing the various adjustments, which is a vital and important feature in this class of devices, owing to the frequent inspection that is expected and required.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means which only at the time of signaling periodically causes the grounding of the signal circuit, whereby in case of a break in the signaling-circuit, a ground cir- Speeifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 306,019.

cuit may be thrown on at the receiving station and maintain the system in signaling condition over a partly grounded circuit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal-board with readily detachable fuse-links whereby, by simply detaching the fuse-links, the instrument may be tested when required without necessitating the opening of any line wires.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device or system in which after the signal is once given, the alarm transmitter mechanism automatically changes the connections of the system of wiring in such a manner as to place the individual floor cirsuits into a number of duplex or parallel branches and to connect each of said circuits through an annunciator to the common battery, thus again forming a closed circuit system so that the alarm transmitter would still operate as before.

In the accompanying drawings, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure l is a diagrammatical view of the system showing the normally closed circuit, Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view of the system showing the manner in which the circuits are duplexed owing to a break in one circuit and the resultant shifting of the controller drum and cutting in of the annunoiator, Fig. 3 is a front view of the mechanism of the alarm transmitter, the terminal board, the manual switch of the building circuit, and the plug switch for the signal circuit, aportion of the casing being broken away, Fig. dis a side elevation of my improved alarm transmitter showing in detail the releasing mechanism of the controller drum, Fig. 5 is a view of the controller with the alarm transmitter removed, Fig. 6 is a detached detail perspective view of the controller drum, Fig. 7 is a detached detail perspective view of one of the contact fingers of the controller Fig. 8 is a similar view of the retaining-lever for the controller, Fig. 9 is a detached detail perspective view of the rocker-arm of the controller drum, Fig. 10 is a detached detail perspective view of one of the fuses of the terminal board, Fig. 11 is a central vertical sectional view of the controller and alarm transmitter, Fig. 12 is a detail view of a part of the armature lever and a part of the arresting lever of the the casing and carries a trip-pin 17 to en escapement mechanism, showing said two levers in the position they occupy when the armature is attracted by the energizing of the electro-magnets, Fig. 13 is a similar view of said two levers, showing the same in the position they occupy when the electro-magnets are deenergized, Fig. 1% is a similar view of said levers, showing the same in the position they occupy when the transmitter has operated and the electromagnets are deenergized, Fig. 15 is a detached detail per spective view of the signaling lever of the, alarm transmitter, Fig. 16 is a detached detail perspective view of the segmental-gear of the alarm transmitter, Fig. 17 is a side view of the same, Fig. 18 is a detail perspective view of the arresting-pawl of the alarm transmitter mechanism, Fig. 19 is a similar view of the arresting-lever of the alarm transmitter mechanism, Fig. 20 is a similar view of the armature-lever, with the armature proper removed.

The alarm transmitter mechanism, the actuating electro-magnets and the controller are inclosed in a suitable casing 1, preferably made in two parts or members 2 and 3 detachably connected together. In the present illustration of this casing, the part or member 2 is substantially circular and incloses the alarm transmitter mechanism and the actuating electro-magnets. At its top it is provided with a pin 1 to engage in an apertured lug 5 carried by the member 3 of the casing, and at its lower side has a flange 6 apertured near its two lower corners to receive screws 8 passing into threaded bosses or corner posts 9 located one in each lower corner of the member 3 of the inclosing casing. This member 3 is provided with apertured lugs 10 by means of which it may be secured to a suitable support.

In practice, as will be understood, and as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the alarm transmitter and controller are placed in a suitable dust-proof case or cabinet A. I will first describe in detail the mechanism embodied in the alarm transmitter proper, and which, as stated, together with the actuating electro-magnets is located in the member 2 of the casing. This mechanism embodies a rear frame-plate 11 and afront frame-plate 12 spaced apart by a plurality of stud bolts and suitably fastened to the rear plate of the member 2. The mechanism constituting the actuating train or motor is arranged between these two frame plates in the usual manner.

The winding shaft 13 of the train carries the spring 1 1 in the usual manner, and has its rear end extended through the back plate of the member 2, andconnected to this extended end of the shaft is a tripping lever 15 which extends through a slot 16 in gage and operate the retaining lever 62 of the controller, as will more fully appear in the description of the operation.

Fixed to the shaft 13 is an arm 18 provided at its free end with a segment gear 19 which engages pinion 2O loosely mounted on arbor 21 of the train. This pinion carries the usual form of ratchet to be engaged by a pawl on gear 2 of the train as is usual in all constructions of this nature. On the front-plate 12 of the clock train is a scale 23, and the arm 18 carrying the sector has a pointer 2 1, whereby to indicate or show the extent of winding of the clock train spring. On the arbor 25 of the clock train is the signal wheel 26 to be engaged by the usual signaling lever 27 which actuates the contact fingers 28 of the signal circuit. This signal wheel 26 is provided with projections or teeth 29 in the usual manner, though in my device, these projections or teeth are made slightly larger in diameter than the resting point 30 for the tooth on the signaling lever whereby to make contact between the line contact fingers 28 and a supplemental contact finger 28 when the signal wheel is revolving, and thus make a ground circuit in order that the signal may be received at the central station even though the metallic circuit be broken.

Hung on a shaft 31 which is pivoted in the frame 1112 is an arresting lever 32 controlling the movement of the train. At its lower end this lever has a pin 33 which engages the armature lever 34, and at its upper end has a pin 35 which engages a stop pin 36, carried by an escapement wheel 37 of the train, when the train is stopped in the release position of the armature-lever, and this pin 35 of the arresting lever also engages with a stop pin 38 on the escapement wheel when the clock train stops 011 the attracted position of the armature lever. This arresting lever is also provided with a tooth or lug 39 to be engaged by a pin 10 on an intermediate gear 11 of the train, whereby the arresting lever is restored to its normal position after the alarm transmitter has operated. The arresting lever 32 is pulled out of engagement with the stop pins 36-33 on the escapement wheel 37 by means of a spring 42 attached to a stud 13 on the lever and to a similar stud 1 1 on the clock train frame. Also hung on a pivoted shaft 15 in the clock train frame is an arresting pawl 16 (Fig. 18). This pawl is provided at its lower end with a tooth 47 to engage pin 18 on the armature lever 34, and its upper end has a trip-pin 49 to engage projection 19 of the sector 19. The pawl 46 engages the pin 48 thus retaining the armature lever in the position shown in Fig. 13 when the electromagnets are energized, thus permitting the clock train to start again. This projection 19 of the sector bnly engages.

with pin 49 when the sector is in substantially the position shown in Fig. 3, that is, when the pointer 24 is at any position between 3 and 4 on the scale 23. This engagement of projection 19 with pin 49 trips the tooth 47 out of engagement with pin 48 and permits the armature lever 34 to be attracted by the electro-magnets, and the clock train thus held at rest.

The armature lever 34 is of a peculiar and particular construction whereby to ef feet the desired and proper engagement of pin 35 on the arresting lever with pins 36, 38 on escapement wheel 37. It is to be observed that said pins 36, 38 are placed on the escapement wheel at different distances from the center of said wheel and that the end of the armature lever which engages pin 33 on the escapement lever 32 must be so constructed as to effect the desired and proper engagement of pin 35 with pins 36, 38. To accomplish this, the free end of the armature lever 34 is bifurcated to form two lugs 50, 51, the lower lug 51 being longer, or extending beyond the upper lug 50. The exact operation of these parts appears in the description of the operation.

The electro-magnets are suitably fastened to one of the studded posts of the clock train frame. These electro-magnets being of the usual form of construction, no detail description thereof is deemed neces 'sary.

shown in detail for one of the fingers in Fig. 7, in order to impart to the same the desired flexibility; this is accomplished by splitting each finger for a part of its length, the split ends of the fingers engaging the drum. These fingers are fastened to insulation bars or finger boards 53 which are preferably mounted in the casing each with two screws as shown so they may be easily and readily detached when desired.

The controller drum embodies a plate 54 to which is secured a bar of insulation 55 which carries the contacts 56, 57 respectively. The plate 54 of the drum is provided at its end with sleeves 58 which are keyed or otherwise secured to a rock-shaft 59 journaled in the member 3 of the casing with one end extended beyond the casing, and on this extended end is keyed (or otherwise secured) a rocker-arm 60 having an inclined notch 61 in its outer face to receive a spring retaining lever 62 fastened to the member 3 of the casing. This retaining lever has a lug or tooth 63 toengage with the rocker arm and hold the controller drum in normal position. The lower end 64 of the retaining lever is designed to release said lever, by engaging the pin 17 011 the tripping lever 15. When the lever 62 is disengaged from rocker-arm 60, the spring 65 actuates arm 60 to move the controller drum and make the desired circuit.

In Fig. 10 I have shown in detail one of the fuse-links 66 which I preferably employ in order to have a large contact surface and yet permit a quick opening of the circuit. These fuse-links embody enlarged eyeletends in contact with each other by a fusewire as shown in said Fig. 10.

In Fig. 3 I show a manual switch 67 which may be used to test out the system in a manner hereinafter described. Also in this view is showna plug switch arrange ment comprising the plates 68, 68 and 68", which are connected by means of the wires 69, 7 O and 71 with the transmitter springs 28 and 28 respectively. These plates are also adapted to be connected to the ground, and to the line extending to the central station, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In describing the operation of the system, reference is had to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. In these figures I have shown a system of wiring arranged for a building having eight floors, and provided with an annunciator adapted to be located at anyconvenient point in the building, such as the engine room, and which serves to indicate to the attendant the particular floor on which the fire originates. In Fig. 1 the system is shown in its normal condition, with all the thermostats or other controlling devices in their circuit closing position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the complete normally closed circuit may be traced as follows: the controlling drum being in a position the reverse of that shown in Figs. 5 and 11. Beginning with battery B, the current flows through wire 7 5 to the first of the brushes 52, which, for the sake of clearness, I have designated as a, thence through the contact plate to brush 7), thence through wire 76, over the floor circuit for the first floor, through switch 67, to brush 5, on the opposite side of the controller, thence through a contact plate to brush a, thence over wire 77, the second floor circuit, thermostat T to brush (Z, thence over a contact plate to brush 6, thence over wire 78 over the third floor circuit and back to brush 6, thence over a contact plate to brush f, thence through wire 7 9 over the fourth floor circuit, and in like manner over the circuits of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth floors, flowing finally through wire 83 to brush a, thence over a contactplate to brush 0, through wire 84,

magnets 50 of the transmitter, wire 85,

brush 2?, over a ontact plate to brush (1, from whence thecurrent flows over a wire 86 which 1s looped back and forth as a serles circuit through all the floors of the building, thence to wire 87 back to battery.

lVith the circuits as above described the electro-magnets are energized, the armature is attracted, and the transmitter is held at its rest position.

It will be understood, of course, that the thermostats or other circuit controlling de vices such as indicated at T are distributed at intervals along the circuit traced above at such'places as may be necessary or de sirable. Each of these thermostats is so constructed that when operated by becoming over-heated it serves to break the particular floor circuit in which it is located and to connect that floor circuit with the series wire 86.

Assuming now that the circuit traced above has been broken by the operation of a thermostat such as indicated at T in the circuit for second floor in Fig. 1, the electromagnets are deenergized, the armature is released allowing the pin on arresting lever 32 to disengage from pin 38 on escapement wheel 37, and the clock train is thereby released allowing the signal wheel 26 to make one full turn. At the same time, the clock train moves sector 19 until the pointer 24 reaches 3 on the scale 23, and projection 19 on the sector is moved out of engagement with pin 49 on the arresting pawl 46, and the spring 46 moves the pawl so as to throw the tooth 47 thereof into the path of pin 48 on the armature lever. The operation of the clock train as above described, it will be observed, was occasioned by the deenergizing of the magnets, and the resultant release of the armature lever and the operation of the train, causes the pin 40 to move arresting lever 32 out of position shown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 14 thus arresting movement of the lever by the engagement of the pin 33 with longer lug 51 of the armature lever. In this position of the arresting lever 32, the pin 35 thereof has been engaged with the outer or pin 36 of the escapementwheel and the lever 15 being on the same shaft with the sector, has moved with the sector, and caused pin 17 to engage end 64 of the retaining lever 62, forcing said end outwardly, disengaging lug 63 from rocker arm 60, and allowing spring 65 to operate the rock shaft 59 and move the controller drum into the position shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, I show (diagrammatically) that by this movement of the controller drum both terminal ends of the circuit for each floor and also of the series circuit are connected through the contact fingers with the contact plates on the controller drum, thus paralleling the floor circuits, with the series circuit-s and also duplexing the individual branches of the circuit. In this view the floor circuit for the second floor is shown as broken by separation of the line at thermostat. It will be observed that the thermostat when opened in the floor circuit bridges with the series circuit and thus forms a new circuit emboclying in part the floor circuit and in part the series circuit. Referring to Fig. 2, the circuit under such conditions, beginning with the thermostat T on the second floor, may be traced as follows :From thermostat T through wire 77 to brush a, through a contact plate to brush (Z, through wire 77 back to the thermostat. It will be observed that the floor circuit is thus formed into a loop with its branches in parallel. The circuit may also be traced from the brush 0, through a contact plate to the brush 0, thence through wire 94 to annunciator A, thence through common return wire 89 to brush a, thence through acontactplate to brush 0, thence through wire 84, magnets 50, wire 85, brush 7;, a contact plate, brush 7), wire 88, wire 75, battery B, wire 87, brush q, plate 56, brush 9, wire 86, back to thermostat T. This is a closed circuit which again energizes magnet 50*, and actuates the annunciator A, causing it to indicate that the disturbance had occurred on the second floor. It the disturbance had occurred 011 some other floor, the circuit would have been closed through some other wire such as 90, 91, 92, etc., to the annunciator and common return. It will be also observed that the series wire, in the position of the controller shown in Fig. 2, constitutes a closed loop including the brushes 9 and q and the bridging plate 56, and that the battery wire 87 taps this loop in such a manner that current can flow over the series wire in either direction from the battery, thus forming a duplex circuit.

In order to test the system at any time, it is only necessary to throw the switch 67 to the position indicated in dotted lines. This opens the wire leading to one of the floor circuits, namely, the first floor, and connects the same to the series wire 86. Evidently this will throw the transmitter into operation in exactly the same manner as would the actuation of one of the thermostats. Due to this duplexing or closing of the floor and series circuits, the electromagnets will be again energized and the armature attracted; the arresting-pawl 46 has been moved to a position where lug 47 will engage with pin 48 on the armature lever, and the spring 42 attached to arresting-lever 32 operates said lever so as to engage pin 33 in the bifurcated end of the armature lever 34, as shown in Fig. 13, and the clock train is then again free to operate and repeat the signal. This operation of the signal it is to be observed is effected through the energizing of the electromagnet. Thus it will be observed that we obtain four repetitions of the signal, first one by the opening of the circuit as described, and the three succeeding signals by the closing of the new circuit formed as described.

The signals sent out by the transmitter are normally conducted over the line wires 73 and 74 to the central station or fire alarm headquarters, where they are recorded in a well known manner. Should either of the lines 73 or 74 become broken or grounded, the attendant can, by inserting a plug in the proper socket, of the plug switch device, cut in the ground wire 72 and send the sig: nals over this ground and that one of the line wires which is in good condition. The circuits are also provided with suitable break glass stations distributed thereover according to the particular conditions over which they are laid.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fire alarm, a clock train, an indicator arm operated by the clock train, a dial for the indicator arm, a sector connected with the indicator arm forming part of the clock train, a lever having an armature, a magnet to attract the armature, a circuit for the magnet, controlling means for the lever operated by the clock train, and a thermostat in the circuit.

2. In a fire alarm, a floor circuit, a thermostat in the circuit, a clock train, an alarm transmitter actuated by the clock train, a rocking lever actuated by the clock train, a spring for the lever, a rocking circuit controller actuated by the lever, a plurality of contact fingers for the controller, said fingers being in series circuit with the floor circuit, and a ground circuit connected with the alarm transmitter.

3. In an automatic fire alarm system, the combination of a plurality of floor circuits, each comprising a normally closed loop, with a second wire co-eXte-nsive with said loops, and running from one to the other in series, and circuit controllers disposed at intervals in said circuits, each adapted, when actuated, to open the corresponding floor circuit loop, and connect one side thereof to said second wire.

4:. In an automatic fire alarm system, a main signal circuit, a transmitter adapted when actuated, to send a signal over said circuit, a normally closed circuit for governing said transmitter, a controller, means operating upon the breaking of such circuit for causing the transmitter to send its signal, and for shifting said controller, said controller, when so shifted, serving to restore such circuit, and means operating upon the restoration of said circuit for causing said transmitter to repeat the signal.

5. In an automatic fire alarm system, a main signal circuit, a transmitter adapted when actuated, to send a signal over said circuit, said transmitter including a clock train and an electromagnet, means for nor-- mally maintaining said electromagnet energized and said train locked, means operating upon the deenergizing of said magnet :tor causing said train to be released and said transmitter to send its signal, means for arresting the train after such signal has been sent, means operated by the movement of the'train for reenergizing said magnet, and means operating upon the renergization of said magnet for again releasin said train, and permitting the transmitter to repeat the signal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN J. HEINRICH.

lVitnesses A. M. WILSON, K. H. BUTLER. 

